Combined piano and phonograph.



C. S. BURTON.

COMBINED PIANO AND PHONOGBAPH.

APPLICATION FILED. NOV. 13. I916.

Patented May 29, 191'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. S. BURTON.

COMBINED PIANO AND PHONOGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13. I9l6. 1,227,579. Patented May 29, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. BURTON, OF OAK PARK,.ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MELVILLE CLARK PIANO CGMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOES, A GORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GQMIBIEED FIANO PHOIN'OGRAPH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed November 13, 1916. Serial No. 131,035.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Pianos and Phonographs, of which the following a. specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction for embodying within the case of a piano a complete phonograph, or sound-reproducing device of that general character, the specific purpose of the invention being to adapt the phonograph to be completely inclosed within the piano case of ordinary dimensions in front of the hammer action, and to accommodate in working position a record of the largest size commonly used, notwithstanding the diameter of such record exceeds the distance from the vertical plane of the hammers to the inner surface of the forward side of the case. It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated in the claims.-

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a player piano equipped with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical fore-and-aft section axial with respect to the recordcarrier of the phonograph, showing a portion of the piano casing and of the hammer action in its customary relation thereto,"the phonograph mechanism being shown at position for playing. M

Fig. 3 is a partly sectional plan View with the parts in the position of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section at the line, l-.l, on Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail at the line, 55, on Fig. 4, showing the sound conduit in a position approaching the horn for engagement therewith.

In the drawings, the piano case, 1, may be understood as containing customary forms of automatic playing mechanism, comprising a motor conventionally represented at,

2, the tracker and note sheet roll carrying box, 3, with the rolls, l and 5, and the note sheet, 6, therein. The phonograph contained in the piano case" atthe left hand side of the tracker box, that is, at the opposite from that at which the motor is shown,

tively connected at the right hand end with the motor which drives the take-up and rewind rolls of the player mechanism, said motor and the connection with this shaft for driving the shaft not being shown, any suitable motor and any suitable gear con nection of its. train with said shaft being employed. for the purpose. At the left hand end of the' tracker boX the shaft/7, has a bevel gear, -8, which meshes with the bevel gear, 9, on a shaft, 10. which has journal bearings mounted on the left hand end of the tracker boX, and at its forward end has a friction disk, 12, which drives a friction pulley, 13, on the shaftfld, which is the phonograph mechanism driving shaft. The phonograph mechanism. is mounted on a tilting door. 18, which closes an aperture, 19, in the forward side of the piano case when the phonograph is not in service. T his door is mounted for swinging about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of the piano case for opening and closing the door, being for this purpose pivoted aboutt-he axis of the shaft, l-l. by means of bnackets, 15, 15, one at each end of the said door, the one at the right hand end obtaining a pivot bearing on a sleeve, 16,

extended from the bearing of the shaft, 14,

on a bracket. 16, which is mounted on the inner side of the front wall of the case. and the bracket, 15, on the left hand end of the door being similarly; pivoted on a gudgeon or 'pintle, 17, provided upon a bracket, 17, which is mounted upon the piano case. The record carrier, 20, mounted upon a spindle, 21, is supported for rotation by its spindle journaled and stepped in a bearing post, 22, mounted rigidly upon the door, 18, upon the inner side thereof. The spindle has rigid with it a bevel pinion, 25, and said post. 22 affords a journal hear ing for the left hand end of the shaft, 1-1, on which there is a bevel pinion, 26, mesh-' ing with the bevel pinion, 25. On said shaft, 14, the friction pulley, 13, is mounted slidably for rotation therewith, its periphery engaging frictionally the under face of "the disk, 12, for deriving therefrom rotation. which is transmitted through the pmions, 25 and '26, to the record carrier, 20. The; pulley, 13, on the shaft, 14, has a grooved hubjwhich is engaged .by a forked arin','26, of an adjusting dev1ce,-27, which has a threaded stem engaged by a sleeve,

' 28", 'journ'aled in'the left hand end of the tracker. box, and having a knurled head,

the smaller end of the horn, 31,-which s mounted upon the tracker box and has its larger end opening into the latter through the. backthereof for delivery of the sound through the tracker box past the rolls and note sheet therein. The two abutting ends ,of-tlIe sound conduit, 30, and horn, 31, are

each flanged and the surface of the flanges areafacedwith felt, 32, such faces being in a. plane atright angles to the pivotal axis of the door, 18, so that the flange terminal of the sound conduit, 30, swings up alongv.side of and into registration with that of the horn, 31, when the door carrying the phonoposition.

" graphmechanism .swings from closed orvertical position to operative or horizontal The tone arm, 40, having the sound box, 41, at its free end, is pivoted at the opposite end to one end of an elbow, .42, whose vertical limb is swiveled in the upper swinging for locking the door, 18, at operative posi-' '44,-on the record carrier.

open end of thev sound conduit, 30, for to carry the tone arm and sound box horizontally when the device is in operative position for cooperation of the stylus, 43, on the sound box with the record,

:Any convenient means may be employed tion of the phonograph and also at closed osition of the door. A convenient expe- Idient for the first purpose. is to provide a spring clasp, 47, on the flange of the horn into which the flange of the sound conduit enters in swinging to the registered position of the two flanges, that is, of the sound conduit and the horn, that position being the open position of the door and the operative position of the phonograph. The clasp beng only stiff enough to hold the parts eni gaged against the pull of the weight of the door and mechanisin'carried by it,is h'ow- ]everadapted to yield for disengagement upon a moderate push uponth'edoorlifor .swmgingit to closed position. A turn-button, 48, having its knob on the outer side of the door w1ll serve to. engage it for locking it closed, and also as a handle to swing it to open position.

I claim 1. In combination with a musical instrument case having an aperture in the forward wall, a support pivoted to the case for swinging in a vertical fore-and-aft plane from an upstanding toward a horizontal position protruding out through said aperture; a phonograph mechanism mount- 'ed on the support at the side thereof which is innermost at the upstanding position of the support and adapted to protrude out through said aperture in the approach of the support to horizontal position.

2. In combination with a musical instrument case having an aperture in the forward wall, a support pivoted to the case for swinging in a vertical fore-and-aft plane from an upstanding toward ahorizontal position protruding out through said aperture; aphonograph mechanism mounted on the support at the side thereof which is innermost at the upstanding position of the sup port and adapted to protrude out through said aperture when the support approaches horizontal position; a horn mounted on the support in communication with the phonograph sound-reproducing devices, the exit 'end of said sound conduit being positioned for reg ster ng with the intake of the horn at the substantially horizontal position of the support, said hornintake and sound conduit exit being relatively formed and positioned for withdrawal of the sound conduit exit from the horn intake in the swinging of the support toward its upstanding positlon.

3. In combination with a musical instru-' ment case having an aperture in its forward wall, a support pivoted to the case for swinging in a vertical fore-and-aft plane from an upstanding toward a horizontal position protruding out through said aperture; 2. phonograph mechanism mounted on the support at the side thereof which is innermost at the upstanding position of the support and adapted to rotrude out through the aperture when t e support approaches horizon- 'tal position; a horn mounted at a fixed position within the case, having-its intake mouth opening in a vertical fore-and-aft plane at rlght'angles to the pivotal axis of the support; a sound conduitmounted on 'said support in communication with the sound-reproducing devices of the phonograph, havlng its exit or dischar e mouth in the same plane as the intake 0 the horn, and positioned for registration with said intake at the position of maximum protrusion of the support.

4. In combination with a player piano having a case, an automatic playing mechanism mountedtherein said case having an aperture in its forward wall; a support piv- ,otedlto- 'theicasie' for swinging in a vertical foresand-aft plane from an upstanding to a position protruding out through said aper.

tune; a phonograph mechanism mounted 911 the support'atthe side thereof which is iin'nermost at the upstanding position of the Iupport, said mechanism comprlsing a prime actuating shaft whose axis is coincident with the pivotal axis of the support, and operatconnections from the motor of the automatie'playing devices for driving said shaft. 5. In combination with a piano having a Case and, automatic playing devices in said case comprising a motor for operating the playing'devi'oes, said case having an aperare in: its forward wall; a support pivoted to, the case for swinging in a vertical foreand-aft plane from an upstanding position to a fore-and-aft extending position protruding'out through said aperture; a phonogra h mechanism mounted on the support of November, 1916.

tions to -said shaft from the motor of the automatic playing mechanism; a horn mounted fixedly within the piano case, the phonograph comprising a sound conduit mounted fixedly on said support and having its exit end positioned for registering with the intake of the horn at the fore-and-aft ex tending position of the support.

6. Incombination with a musical instrument case having an aperture in its forward wall; a support pivoted to the case for swinging in a vertical fore-and-aft plane from an upstanding to a fore-and-aft extending position protruding out through said aperture; a phonograph mechanism mounted on the support at the'side thereof which is innermost at the upstanding position of the support and adapted to protrude out through the aperture at the fore-and-aft extending position of the support; the pivotal axis of the support being positioned with respect to said aperture to adapt the support to constitute aclosure for the aperture at the upstanding position of the support.

In testimony whereof I my hand at Chicago; Illinois, this 6th day CHARLES s. BURTON.

have hereunto set 

